


Traveler

by Unyeilding (siberia_eva)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, I know . . . another one, M/M, Modern Character in Thedas, Multi, Spirit Animal, but it will be, not explicit yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-01-23 20:21:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18557152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siberia_eva/pseuds/Unyeilding
Summary: I remember flashes of light. Loud sounds. There were sudden beeps and low voices. I felt floaty. Like I was laying in a pool with my ears under the water.I hurt all over but couldn’t feel.I could see everything with complete clarity but couldn’t open my eyes.My tongue was thick with the odor of astringent, but I could neither open my mouth nor smell it.My eyes fluttered open then immediately closed. Now I was watching myself like an outsider. For one moment I took in everything.I was in a hospital. There were machines beeping everywhere.There was yellowed bruising all over my face and arms. Wait . . . arm. As in singular. My arm was gone just below the shoulder and I was also missing a leg. My soon-to-be ex-wife was holding my hand. As my floaty feeling diminished. I kept hearing her say, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I’ll never drink again.”I was detached, drifting, dreaming.***“Shit, fuck, Jesus . . . Fuck!”I wasn’t dreaming. My broken body was laying in a hospital on Earth, dead or alive, I had no idea. But, my consciousness. My ‘self’ . . . I was in Thedas. Right before the blight was about to consume everything.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go. A modern person in Thedas. I know, it's been done a thousand times before. I had this story in my head, and I had to get it out. 
> 
> At this point, it feels like there will be many short chapters.
> 
> I can't wait for you to join me on my journey, wherever this thing takes us.

I remember flashes of light. Loud sounds. There were sudden beeps and low voices. I felt floaty. Like I was laying in a pool with my ears under the water. I felt a snap and saw a bright light. I felt another snap and the light was still as intense but so much more artificial. I was reeling. I didn’t understand.

I hurt all over but couldn’t feel.

I could see everything with complete clarity but couldn’t open my eyes.

My tongue was thick with the odor of astringent, but I could neither open my mouth nor smell it.

Snap.

My eyes fluttered open then immediately closed. Now I was watching myself like an outsider. For one moment I took in everything.

I was in a hospital. There were machines beeping everywhere. I had a tube in my nose and throat, a device inflating my lungs for me.

There was yellowed bruising all over my face and arms. Wait . . . arm. As in singular. My arm was gone just below the shoulder and I was also missing a leg. My soon-to-be ex-wife was holding my hand. As my floaty feeling diminished. I kept hearing her say, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I’ll never drink again.”

I was detached, drifting, dreaming.

I could hear strange sounds. Like a medieval action movie. I was so tired.

“Chelsea, turn the TV down.” My head was so fuzzy. I must have drunk too much last night. Jesus, what happened. I just wanted to fall back to sleep.

There were pained groans all around me. Did Chels have a rager last night? She usually only does that when I’m gone. I closed my eyes.

The beeps were loud, pulsing with the beat of my heart. I opened my eyes to the bright and sterile glare of the hospital room. I wanted nothing more than to be anywhere else. I couldn’t keep my eyes opened. I wanted to let the blissful nothing of the dark take me.

It wasn’t to last. There were roaring sounds that woke me. It was dark, and it stunk. Jesus Christ, it smelled so bad. I wanted to throw up. It smelled like dirty teenage boys mixed with the metallic tang of blood. It was cloying and stuck to the back of my tongue.

I forced my body to sit up, my head was spinning, but other than nausea and a headache, I didn’t feel anything wrong. I swung my legs over the side of my . . . bed? . . . cot? What the fuck. Where was I?

Wait?! Legs, as in two? I thought for sure I remember having one missing. I ran (both) hands down my face, trying to orient myself.

My arms felt heavy, the leather and metal encasing them pulled them down more quickly than normal.

“What the freaky fuck.” I called out loud. My voice seemed different, but it could have been the fucking helmet on my head. I looked around and everything seemed crazy familiar, but the dream, it had to be a dream, wasn’t making any sense. I did what I always did when I needed to sort through things. I talked to myself. (Totally normal).

“Okay, I’m dreaming. I am in the hospital, hurt. Fuck, I will think about that later. I am on very heavy medication and I am dreaming.” After getting my breathing under control, I looked around me.

There were others lying in cots all around me, injured.

“That makes sense, I am projecting the fear or my own injuries.”

There were a few people walking around in weird yet familiar armor. I could hear loud shouting, but it was so far away, I couldn’t make any sense of it. I decided to walk around.

“This has to be the best high of my life.” The detail around me was amazing. It felt so real. People were staring openly at me as I walked around. Sometimes, I smiled. Sometimes, I winked. It didn’t matter, they all looked like I was a ghost. If this were a regular dream, I could summon a mirror and see what had them all freaked out.

I usually had such great control of my dreams. When I knew I was dreaming, I was able to change anything and everything. It made for unrestful sleep, but it was a lot of fun.

As I was lost alone in my thoughts, I noticed the tents. They were familiar, like a dream of a dream. I walked closer. There was a sign, ‘King Cailan’s Tent’ I looked to the left, ‘Teyrn Loghain’s Tent’ so clearly marked for any passerby.

“Fuck, I’m dreaming about Origins. And I’m in Ostegar.”

“Of course you’re in bloody Ostegar. If you’re well enough to be walking around, why aren’t you fighting?” The dour ass hat asked me.

“Why aren’t you fighting?” I glared at him. He was my height exactly, I was always tall, so it was no surprise.

“Loghain ordered me to stay behind to guard the camp and wait for the signal to join him. Not that I need to explain myself to you.”

I was about to be abominably rude, but my breath was interrupted by some loud barking. A large barrel chest body, with a tiny tail wagging about fifty times a second jumped all over me.

“Nysa?” I hadn’t dreamt about her in such a long time. “What are you doing here?” I held her and let her lick my face. Her tongue was warm and wet and she was in dire need of a bath.

That one thought made my world focus into pinprick precision. I looked over to my dog, a mutt, I thought. No, a pure blooded Mabari. Her intelligent eyes were staring me down. The man who was talking to me earlier left in a huff.

She lay a paw on my shoulder as I crouched to look her in the eye. ‘Yes.’ It seemed to say. ‘I’m sorry.’ Was in the look she gave me as well. She leaned closer and gently, so gently, bit my jaw. It hurt. I could smell her dog breath. I could feel the sticky heat of her tongue as she apologized for the bite.

“Shit, fuck, Jesus . . . Fuck!”

I wasn’t dreaming. My broken body was laying in a hospital on Earth, dead or alive, I had no idea. But, my consciousness. My ‘self’ . . . I was in Thedas. Right before the blight was about to consume everything.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What lead up to 'that night.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel a little bad for taking a break from Represent, but this story needed to come out.

**In The Past**

Chelsea had been stifled as a child. When we met in college, we just clicked. I wanted to have a good time, and she was more than willing to go along. She had never experienced much, and I felt like I could show her the world. We drank, we partied, we got through our classes and we dated. I showed her how to be with a woman, and she showed me what it was like to have the world at your fingers. We lived together all through getting our MBA’s and after graduation and much to her parents’ chagrin, we were married.

We had been married for three years when her parents died, leaving her a massive fortune, she let go of everything. She stopped working, and started living, she told me. It was so much fun at first. We had parties and orgies. We had some of the best sex of our lives, with each other and with other people.

We were always open that way, but with unlimited money and no responsibility, we both got out of hand. It was four years later when I got my wake-up call. We were both drunk, and Chels was high. It was late enough (or early enough) that no one was out on the roads. She was driving a little out of control already, but I had let my fingers wander between her legs.

Ironically, she had been moaning out her orgasm when something darted in front of the car. She ran it over. She tried to refuse to stop, but I made her pull over.

The poor dog was not okay. She was a huge mutt, dark muzzle, and lighter through the rest of her body. She was shaking, a large gash on her barrel chest.

“Shh, Shh. I’m sorry. It’ll be okay.” I stroked the hot fur on her head. She looked at me. There was such intelligence in her eyes. And pain. So much pain. “Shh, we’ll take care of you.”

“Chelsea, help me put her in the car.”

“Ewww and get blood in my car.” She giggled, “I’m good.”

“Chels, we hit her, she needs to see a vet, or she’ll die.”

I finally got her to agree, and I got in the driver’s seat, googled an emergency vet and carefully drove us there.

Chelsea got a Lyft home, but I stayed. We were idiots. We were stupid. One stupid night, one bad decision, and it could have killed this sweet dog.

But it wasn’t one night, it wasn’t one decision. We had done it so many times before. We were lucky we didn’t kill someone.

I was done. We could still have fun, but we could be responsible about it.

I named the mutt Nysa. It was Greek for ‘a new beginning’ because that’s what she meant to me.

She recovered from her injury. I brought her home. Chelsea soon warmed up and seemed to accept that I was changing my stupid party ways.

I got back into the workforce and over the next year, I regained my hobbies and started to work my way up. Chelsea spoiled me with amazing PC equipment to play my games. I played my favorite, Dragon Age, many times.

A year to the day that we found Nysa, she got sick. I took her to the hospital. It seemed she had some sort of blood poisoning. They couldn’t figure out where it came from, and they couldn’t cure it.

I opted to go for pain management and let her pass at home. I wore her ashes in a pendant that said “Everyday can be a New Beginning” I grieved, and Chelsea went back to her old tricks.

I stopped going out with her. I worked, I played my games, and I worried.

Every time she left, I didn’t know if she would come back drunk, or high, or what. On the weekends she had huge parties at the house. At first, it was great. I didn’t have to worry about anyone driving and hurting anyone. I was able to have a good time with my wife again. But we kept fighting.

She thought I was holding her back and judging her. I thought she was going to get someone killed. She didn’t understand why I wanted to work; we didn’t need any money. I didn’t understand why she didn’t need anything to fulfill her. Then she would tell me that I was her fulfillment and she didn’t need anything else.

That line worked for a while. I would melt and we would have sex. But then she got more and more absorbed into the world of drugs and sex. When I walked in on her snorting a line off someone’s inner thigh, I knew I was done.

It wasn’t that she was having sex with so many others, it wasn’t that she was surrounding her self with hanger’s on, it wasn’t even the drugs. It was that she didn’t want anything from life other than what she had.

I wanted more. I wanted to be successful in my own right. I wanted to make friends with people who were like-minded. And, I wanted to not be constantly worried.

It was our tenth anniversary. Chelsea wanted to take me out, we would have a great dinner, have a good time.

“Please Chelsea. Let me drive.” This wasn’t the first time she was determined to drive drunk or even the fifth. I was over it. She didn’t know it, but I was already in the process of filing for divorce. I didn’t want anything of hers, I was totally self-reliant. I would be fine on my own, I had to be because she wouldn’t change. Chelsea was in a perpetual state of being a college kid. She refused to accept responsibility. I used to understand, but I couldn’t anymore. I was tired.

“This is my fucking car, and I am fucking driving.”

“Fine, I’m calling an Uber.”

“Don’t be stupid. I can drive us both.”

“No, I love you, I can’t watch you make these stupid decisions anymore.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means that I want to go home, and I don’t want to watch your drunk-self kill someone.”

“Is this about that dog again?”

“Her name was Nysa.” She didn’t understand, “and what if it was a person.”

“Well, it wasn’t. I’m fine. I only had like three drinks.”

“You had six drinks, Chels.” The driver pulled up and I got in the back. “You sure, you don’t want to come with me.”

“As if I’m going to leave my car here. No fucking way.”

“Please,” I whispered, desperately trying to reach her, “Come with me.”

“Hey,” her voice softened, and she cupped my jaw. I knew she loved me. Just not enough. “I’ll see you at home. Okay.”

She gave me a quick kiss and went over to her car. I closed the door and looked at the kid driving. I felt so old.

“You tried.” He gave me a sad smile, and I nodded.

We had barely pulled onto the next street over when a red sports car hit us hard.

Chelsea and the boy had some minor lacerations. I was rushed to surgery.


	3. Chapter 3

I looked at Nysa. I always knew she was smart. My business sense took over. I couldn’t think of everything; I couldn’t solve more than one thing at a time. First thing was to push my panic to the back of my mind. I would deal with it later.

The camp was deserted but for a few. I could hear battle sounds in the distance. I looked at the Tower of Ishaal. I knew what was happening there. I knew what was going to happen. It was too late for me to do anything about the current battle or the king. But I know I needed to be close to whoever the warden was, and that means.

“We need to find Flemeth.”

My memory of the game was limited. It had been a few years since I had played Origins. So, I wasn’t fully sure of what direction to take. I knew I could get myself to the old Warden tower, where Duncan had Alistair retrieve the Grey Warden treaties, but beyond that, I either had to start praying to the Maker, or rely on dumb luck.

I took stock of what was around me. I knew that there was supposed to be a quartermaster around here somewhere. I usually played a Rogue, so I was hoping to find some daggers and a quiver and bow. I should also look for elf root potions or something. Fuck, I hoped I could either sneak or fight.

There was no way I would make it ten minutes otherwise. I found where there was a store of arms and armor and looked down at ‘my’ body for the first time.

I don’t think I have ever been so lithe in my life. I always carried a few extra pounds and I was never an athlete. But as I took stock of myself, I had muscle in my arms and legs, I clenched my stomach and felt the muscle there also respond.

Damn. I look good. I grabbed my butt. Yep. I had the perfect body that my characters always had. It made sense in a way. If you are a fighter, you would be in great shape yeah? To test my theory, I picked up a few daggers. They felt good in my hands. It was like I had instant knowledge of what I was supposed to be doing.

I flipped them in the air and sheathed them at my back. I found a bow, it didn’t seem as easy, but It didn’t take long for me to string it up and take a few practice shots. It was always my secondary weapon. It seems it still was.

I found some armor that seemed to be in better shape than what I was wearing. I also found a pack and stocked it with a bedroll, some rations, a change of clothes and some elf root. I also found some Mabari crunch and tossed a few to Nysa.

“Well sweets, it looks as though we are on our way.” She gave a happy bark, and I don’t know why. But it made me laugh. I would panic later. I would cry later. I would meltdown . . . later.

As I walked in the opposite direction of the main battle, I saw the tower light up. I knew what was happening. I knew that Loghain was retreating, letting the king die. I knew that Duncan would soon be overwhelmed. I looked at the tower, as I walked. I trusted Nysa to keep me in a straight path as I continued to stare.

I knew that soon Alistair and whoever the warden was would be overrun. I knew that Flemeth would save them. I was hoping to catch a glimpse. Figure out where to go. There was speculation on how they were saved.

I was 100% sure that Morrigan didn’t know how her mother did it, but for me, it was a mystery I never really thought of until this moment.

The tower disappeared in the distance. After Nysa prevented me from falling, yet again, I was about to turn around, when I saw it. A large red high dragon landed on the tower roof. A moment later it was gone.

I stopped walking, enthralled by what could be happening. Nysa bumped my leg with her snout.

“Just for a second,” I told her. She huffed and sat back on her haunches.

Then I saw it. The dragon reappeared and got larger and larger. As it flew over me, I only had two thoughts. Both of which I had to say out loud.

“Holy shit, she turned into a dragon and flew them out. She had one body in each claw. Fuck that’s” I paused, “What is it Nysa?” We started to walk again. “Is it cool? Or is it freaky as fuck?” She huffed at me. “Yeah, a little of both. At least we know we are going in the right direction. Or at least in the same direction of Flemeth anyway.”

Nysa barked at me. I looked at her closely. “It is you, isn’t it?” I paused. She came to me, knowing that I needed reassurance.

When she jumped up to put her paws on my chest, she could look me in the eye. She leaned her head to mine. When our heads touched, I could hear her.

“I was always yours. And I always will be, no matter the form.”

The moment she pulled her head from mine, it was gone.

“Well, there’s something I didn’t see coming.” I looked at her, eyes alight with wisdom. “Thank you. That isn’t a secret that is known by many is it?”

Nysa shook her head. I looked at her with new eyes. I nodded with respect. We had each other’s backs.

“Just so you know, I’m going to talk out loud a lot. It helps me think.” Nysa huffed as if laughing., “Yeah, yeah. I know. It helps to sort shit out, and I tell you what . . . shit needs to be sorted out.”

I thought in silence for a moment. I chewed on my lower lip. I knew that I could drift into my own thoughts and that she would warn me if I needed to be alert.

“Okay, so I know things. Assuming the timeline is like the game, I can hinder or help. I realize that if I share too much information, I could ruin things. I also know that any changes I make will change future events.” There was so much going through my head right now. How long would I be here? What is worth changing to risk the future?

“Oh, people will either think I’m crazy or try to put me in a circle. I guess if they made me tranquil it wouldn’t do anything because I’m not a mage.” I was speculating. Nysa growled at me. “Okay, that’s a no. Don’t let myself be taken in as an apostate?” Nysa nodded.

“Okay, so what do I tell people. I could be a seer? Or a hedge mage? Damn, I wish I could google the different types of magic in Thedas. And don’t roll your eyes at me. If I knew I was going to be here I would have reacquainted myself with all the lore.”

We walked in contemplative silence. Earth me would have been dying by now, but Thedas me was obviously used to the exercise. I was lost in thought for hours, attempting to come up with a plan. I was pretty sure I had most of it figured out when I heard a low growl.

I was immediately on edge. I grabbed my daggers with a speed and surety I never possessed. I looked to Nysa, expecting her to know where the danger was.

What she was, was sheepish. I laughed.

“Oh, sweetheart.” I chuckled, “Are you hungry?” She gave me a quick nod. “You could have shown me. I would have stopped.” She looked at me in disgust. Oh, “You tried to, didn’t you?” Her look was all the response I needed, “Okay. Let’s hunt.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Learning to live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at summaries.

Nysa ate her portion of the Ram raw. I roasted a haunch for myself and laid small strips over the fire to smoke into jerky.

The knowledge I needed to live in Thedas, seemed to come when I needed it. Much like being able to hunt and, hopefully, fight.

Making fire wasn’t nearly as hard as I feared with the flint and tinder from the pack I grabbed. I stared into the flames, knowing I was ruining my night vision, but not caring. I was filthy and would have given anything for a shower, but too cold to go to the nearby stream that Nysa has found for us to drink from.

I’ll give it to non-polluted worlds. The water was better than anything out of a bottle I’d ever tasted. I ate my meal in relative silence. Nysa came over to me and rested her head on my leg. I absently let my hands run over her beautiful head. I looked to her, her intelligent eyes staring back at me intensely.

“Do you want to hear what I’ve come up with?” She was tired, just like me, but gave me a wag of her tail to show her interest. “I can’t be a seer, not truly. My knowledge is limited, but I can be a mystic. I can see signs, perhaps limited visions of the future. I think that will explain whatever weird things I say or do as well. It may also explain why I am always talking to you.” She huffed at that. “I will seek out Mythal.” She looked at me in shock then.

“Did you not know that? Flemeth carries whatever is left of Mythal.” She nodded. I guessed she knew that but didn’t know that I did. “I know a lot of things I probably shouldn’t.” I looked at the flames again and finished my meal. I knew I was going to miss fresh vegetables and fruit. Hopefully, I didn’t get sick, but I assume that my current body is used to such a diet. “Well, my sweet, should we get some rest?”

Nysa yawned. I knew that I should sleep in my armor in case something bad woke me up, but for the first time since I awoke in Thedas, I removed my helm.

My hair was in a thick braid. I’ve never had long or thick hair in my life. It was also a lighter brown than the dun color I was born with. On Earth, I had always colored it. Fun colors when I was younger, simple highlights as I grew up. I removed the braid and ran my fingers through the locks. I banked the fire into low embers and laid the bedroll close. I hoped my smoking meat didn’t attract predators, but part of me was too weary to care if I did.

I curled up in the blanket, Nysa beside me keeping me warm. I wrapped my arms around her. And for the first time since this debacle started. I let myself cry. She lay her head on mine.

“It’s all right my psychi. I am here.” Her voice was warm in my mind and spread through my being. I felt safe and allowed myself to cry until I slept.

Morning came swiftly. I packed away the dried meat, chewing on the leftovers from last night and some dried bread from my pack. Nysa did the same with the carcass. I was only a little concerned about bacteria, it was cold enough last night, and it had only been a few hours. We were unable to eat or carry all the meat from the ram. I felt bad that I couldn’t store it, but only for a moment.

“Do you think we can spare some time for a dip in the creek?” I looked to Nyssa as I packed up the bedroll and put out the coals, she tilted her head and rolled out her tongue. “I know I am going to get dirty again, but I am so not used to being this filthy.” She huffed and walked in the direction of the stream.

“Does that mean I stink?” Another chuff. “Fine. Will you stand watch while I bathe, or do you want to join me?” She rolled her eyes and sat on the bank.

I didn’t have soap or anything like it, but at least I could get the visible dirt and filth off me. I stripped the leather and steel off my body to reveal the disgusting under armor. Shit. I guess I could wash this and wear the change of clothes underneath while it dried.

I stripped to nothing, desperately wanting to throw the underwear away. I found some large rocks to pin the clothing down in the stream, and a smooth one to use as a sort of medieval loofah.

I examined my body fully as I cleaned it. My hands were calloused from the blades it was supposed to be used to using. The hair on my legs was lighter and finer than I was used to. Obviously, shaving wasn’t a thing here. I still had generous breasts, now that they weren’t flattened by the armor, my arms and legs were lean and muscular.

There were two noticeable similarities in my body from Earth. One was the large port wine birthmark over my right ribcage, and the other was surprisingly the tattoo that trailed around my thigh and hip up to my upper back.

The shock of color against the paleness of my skin was quite a shock. Why in the world would that ‘transfer’ with me?

I scrubbed at my hair, not used to the length, running my fingers through to remove tangles and dirt and oil from my scalp. It was lighter than I originally thought. Though considering I examined it in the dark, that made sense.

I used the bedroll to dry off and put on the only set of clothing I had. I then strapped the leather overtop, surprised by how easy it was. I hung the wet clothing on the outside of my pack so it could dry as we walked. I was still covered in goosebumps from the cold of the stream and so started a brisk pace in the direction we had settled on.

It felt like we had been walking forever. I was silent in my thoughts this time, and as Nysa growled at the distance. I was glad I had been.

The time for my first fight was here. I dropped my pack and checked my daggers in their sheaths, then pulled my bow. If I could injure from a distance, that would be best.

 

It was over.

I would never get over the smell. That was one thing I couldn’t be prepared for. Darkspawn stank. I was proud of myself. I didn’t get hurt, Nysa didn’t get hurt, I wasn’t even that tired. I am sure the adrenaline would leave my body and I would be exhausted, but right now. I was okay.

As we walked away from my first battle, the weight of what was happening started to overwhelm me once again.

“Why the fuck did this happen? How are you here when you were there? Am I dead and this is the afterlife? I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know if I need to survive or even if I want to.” Nysa had no answers for me. At least not until we could . . . mind meld? Hah, thanks Star Trek. “Maybe if I die here, I will wake up back home. Things were shit, but at least I knew what was going on.”

Nysa rammed into my side at that, almost knocking me over.

“Ow, what was that for.” I looked at her, “Fine, I’m not going to leave you. I’m not going to let myself die. It’s really not in my nature.”

We stayed silent for a while longer before I truly started to feel tired. “Let’s stop. Do you think we are on the right track?” She nodded. “Okay, I’m going to try and nab something a little smaller. I’ve always wanted to try nug.”

I was kidding of course, and she knew it. If dogs could laugh with their tails, that was what Nysa was doing.

I got two rabbits. I gave one to Nysa, who had no problem tearing right into it. I cooked the other over the fire after effortlessly skinning it. I was still amazed at the skills I had. It made me wonder if I would still be able to use them once I got home.

If I got home.

Damn.

I curled up next to Nysa, she lay her head to mine and touched my mind. “I am limited in what I can tell you. Mythal is also. But Flemeth, knows how to skirt the rules. You will see, I will be there for you my psychi.”

“You have called me that before. What does it mean?”

“Soon, kardia, soon.”

I fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flemeth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know this is totally OOC but bear with me.

I approached the hut warily. Though, if I knew Flemeth, she already knew I was here. I watched for any signs of the wardens or Morrigan. It looks like I either missed them, or they were still recovering from their injuries.

After a few minutes, Nysa bumped my shoulder.

“Am I delaying on purpose?” I thought about it, “I don’t really know. Maybe?” I shrugged and she started walking to the cabin. Refusing to let her be braver than me, I quickly caught up to her. “Fine, you’re right. I’m wasting time.” I stage whispered, still feeling that silence was best.

I took a deep breath and looked at my dog. She looked back at me, giving me courage with her eyes in only the way she could.

No sooner did I knock than I found myself held aloft in a barrier, Nysa right beside me. I saw Flemeth as the old woman, she had a staff, it was obviously her holding me up.

“I mean you no harm.” I said.

“You may not mean it, but alas, you may carry it with you regardless.” She said, “No one should be able to get past my wards without me inviting them, let alone without me knowing it.”

“I only come with respect, Mythal.”

Her face showed shock. She stared at me, then at Nysa. Then I was dropped unceremoniously to the ground.

“All right Traveler, why are you here?”

“I have so many questions and am in need of guidance. You are the only one I could think of to ask.”

“Hah, I am the only one worth asking.”

“At this time, yes.”

“Hmm, you know many things, Traveler. You must be cautious with what you share, even with me.”

“How do you know that?”

“Come inside, I will be frank with you. Truthfully, it will be a refreshing change.” I watched her go deep in thought for a moment, “Not to worry, I won’t get used to it and I am sure the feeling will pass.”

“You can show your true form if it makes you more comfortable?”

“Oh, and what, child, is my true form?”

“It could be a dragon, it could be the armored red leather with the amazing white hair that shows off your fabulous body. Hell, it could be something I’ve never thought of. But I’m pretty sure this harmless old woman with sunken cheeks isn’t it.” I told her.

She looked at me with a little shock and a little pride.

“Well, I would hate to disappoint.” She turned into the form I was used to seeing in Dragon Age II and Inquisition. “I guess my body **is** amazing in this form.”

“Fuck yeah,” I said. “You would never know you were thousands of years old.” I grinned at her.

“I think I like your candor. I think I like you. I think I will like telling you my secret while revealing your destiny, though you may not.”

I sat in rapture as Flemeth told me her story.

When she was young, Flemeth was always reading. Her culture put much value on tales and stories. Her world was largely at peace, and the tales of war and trials and heroes were exciting.

“I would watch my favorite stories be reenacted with pre-programmed hollo tech, and then I would dabble and add my own twists and turns.”

‘Holy fuck.’ The thought was my own, but Flemeth’s smile showed that my face had told her what my words didn’t.

“I read about magic, Elvhen cities, slavery, and the few who tried to save them all. I saw the same people fall after they warred upon each other. I read and watched and met the author and picked their brain for any snippets that may not have been included in the story. There were four installments in the tale, the last one set to be published but not yet available when it happened.

“My transport glitched, and the auto-ride was deactivated. It fell from the air for sixteen levels. I think I died, but not immediately.

“When I woke, I was a different person. I was surrounded by things that I knew. I met heroes from my stories and helped to guide things through to make it easier, hopefully, to make things better.

“Sound familiar?” She crooked an eyebrow at me.

“How? Why?”

“I have speculated on much over my long, long, years. I have even met another Traveler.”

“So that was a title, not an observation?” I stated, mind still reeling from what I have learned. “Are they still here?” I asked.

Flemeth got a faraway look, “No. She tried to change too much. In the end, it killed her, she could never have seen what would be wrought from her actions.”

“Can you tell me about her?”

“Another time perhaps.” She looked at me, her strange eyes seeming to glow. “As long as it has been since I have been frank, it has been even longer since I thought of the place I was born.”

“It sounds like an amazing place.” I was lost and didn’t know what else to say. But I did know what to ask. “Will I end up living as long as you?” Jesus, but I really didn’t want to.

“No. I believe I would have lived a normal lifespan after living through the last of the stories. But, as you know, I have the soul of a goddess within me. I could either live forever in a body that ages past being recognizable, or I can transfer her essence and therefore, my essence to another host.”

“Who is Nysa?”

“Ah, did you meet her at your home first?”

“Yes.”

“It is more than I can tell but think of her as your spirit guide.”

“Where is yours?”

“Mine was lost when I took in Mythal. For a reason that I understand now but didn’t then.

“I’m not sure I would have done it, knowing the results. That is why you must be so careful. Very often no matter what you change, the results may be the same.”

“Actually, I may know the results. To a point.”

“Oh, what do you mean?”

“I learned of Thedas through an interactive video game. The story changed depending on your choices. There were many different ways to go through the story.”

“Fascinating.” She pondered, “They must be your decisions on what changes need to be made for the good of this world, if you allow too much influence, or try to change too much . . .”

“You morn her.” It was surprisingly easy to read Flemeth. Or at least this version of her.

“I do, as I would morn you. We are both lost, both part of a tale that is not our own. We are much the same.”

“Why **were** we pulled into fictitious stories?”

“Ahh, that is the one that took me the longest. I have determined that stories, no matter what form they fall in, are glimpses into a different dimension or galaxy. Those that tell the story, ride the waves of the tale and bring it out for all to hear.

“All of the places we read about exist. For some reason, we were pulled into this one.”

“Well fuck me running.”

Flemeth laughed. “Well that is colorful, isn’t it. Now, I wish I had a sonic bath to offer you, come to think of it, if I had one, I would hoard it, but I do have a tub around the corner. I will give you as much help as I can. I hope to make your journey easier than mine, or hers.”

I looked at her with what I was sure was a bemused look on my face.

“Yes?”

“So are you really this nice? Or is it just me?”

Her laughter was rich and warm, “I have played a part for a long time. It started off as survival, and I did change things, but the thing I regret the most is changing myself.” She sighed, “It is easy to be myself with another Traveler. I could not do it otherwise.

“I am Flemeth, Witch of the Wilds. I am Mythal, Goddess of the Elvhen. I am Asha’bellenar. And I am so very tired.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so you see why I allowed myself to be a little OOC with Flemeth? I hope you get it. I hope you like it.

**Author's Note:**

> I would love your comments. Tell me what you think. The good, the bad, the ugly, I want to know.


End file.
